Hardware store aims to make a connection

Doug Curving is looking to take what he knows about paint, home decorating and customer service and apply it to hardware, electrical and plumbing supplies.

Mr. Curving, owner of Westboro Paint & Decorating, is in the process of renovating the former Village Lumber property and preparing to open it as Village Hardware & Supply in June.

Village Lumber closed last year after more than 40 years in business. Since then, Mr. Curving and a silent partner purchased the property, and Mr. Curving has been working to give the store his own stamp.

With both stores using the same fonts, colors and styling, it will be easy for customers to connect Village Hardware & Supply with Westboro Paint & Decorating.

“We’re going to be a local store, with our own flavor,” Mr. Curving said. “We think that there is enough of a market base that appreciates what we do, and we’re betting that the people of this town and the surrounding towns will come and support us.”

Unlike most paint stores, Westboro Paint & Decorating is independent, and carries several lines of paint and stains, including Benjamin Moore, Cabot and California Paint.

Mr. Curving opened his store in April 1998, after working his way up through the ranks to manage a company store, and then headed out on his own. In the beginning, he only carried Benjamin Moore paint, but the business has grown, adding other lines of paint, more employees and home decorating products.

“We are the only Central Mass. dealer for C2 paint, which is made with a different tinting system, which makes its colors more complex and saturated,” Mr. Curving said.

He said Village Hardware & Supply will stock hardware, fasteners, keys, plumbing and electrical supplies, cleaning products, housewares and lawn and garden items.

“We’ll also have quality A-grade lumber and some building materials,” Mr. Curving said. “We’re going to carry a variety of brands, not found in the chains and box stores. And we’ll have some paint, but it will be minimal, so we can focus on the other categories. It will mostly be for contractors, since the two stores are so close together.”

The new business, at 1 Phillips St., will be in a renovated building that had been vacant in the town center. When completed, the 11,000-square-foot store will have 8,300 square feet of retail space and will employ six to eight people.

Westboro Paint & Decorating will remain open, Mr. Curving said. “This place is all set up for paint and decorating.”

If everything goes according to plan, Village Hardware & Supply will open on June 1 with a soft opening. Once the kinks are worked out, Mr. Curving said he will hold a grand opening.